Prior to this slice of luck Yuvraj, who made 74 on his Test comeback in Ahmedabad, had departed for a second-ball duck, clean bowled by Swann. Swann had been brought on for a new spell by skipper Alastair Cook soon after the left-hander arrived at the crease, and the move paid off.

The hosts lost these two wickets in successive overs for the addition of just one run to be tottering at 119 for five and the loss of Pujara, easily the best Indian batsman against the turning ball in this match, would have been a major blow to their hopes of putting up a fighting total.

Dhoni came to the crease and started to attack the two spinners with his drives and cuts.

He was lucky on 22 in a score of 149 for five when he stepped out against Swann, missed a big heave but luckily the ball clipped the top of his pad and got deflected before wicketkeeper Matt Prior could stump the batsman.

Dhoni was later out, caught off the gloves in the close-in cordon, off Panesar. Pujara and Ashwin, however, held fort.

Even the second new ball, taken after 80 overs, did not benefit England.

Pujara pulled Anderson for a four to complete his 100 in 248 balls, before Ashwin struck the bowler for three fours in an over to race to 50 in 67 balls.

The off-spinner has hit a century at this ground an year ago, against the West Indies.